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From the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Talking Book

Stevie Wonder

1972

Talking Book

Album Summary

Talking Book is the fifteenth studio album by American singer, songwriter, and musician Stevie Wonder, released on October 28, 1972, by Tamla, a subsidiary of Motown Records. This album and Music of My Mind, released earlier the same year, are generally considered to mark the start of Wonder's "classic period". The sound of the album is sharply defined by Wonder's use of keyboards and synthesizers. The album peaked at number three on the Billboard Top LPs chart and finished at number three on Billboard's year-end chart for 1973. "Superstition" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Soul Singles charts, and "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" hit number one on the Hot 100 and Easy Listening charts. Talking Book earned Wonder his first Grammy Award, with "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" winning Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 16th Grammy Awards; "Superstition" also won Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song. Often included in lists of the greatest albums of all time, Talking Book was voted number 322 in the third edition of Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000), and Rolling Stone ranked it number 59 on its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Wikipedia

Rating

3.72

Votes

19166

Genres

  • Funk
  • Soul

Reviews

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Aug 31 2021
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3

IMO Stevie is at his best when he does the funky soul numbers. Superstition is one of his most iconic songs, with killer guitar hooks and I love his funky snarling voice. But this album is marred by syrupy maudlin commercial tracks meant to sell records such as You are the sunshine, You and I, Looking for another pure love, and I believe. Yuck. If it had more Superstition it would be a 4 but the dreck pulls it down unfortunately

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Nov 12 2021
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5

This is an actual classic album. Stevie Wonder in his imperial period. It is hard to over-praise this record.

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Jul 14 2021
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3

Lovely relaxed vocals but the lyrics are too sickly sweet for my tastes and a bit repetitive. Superstition is amazing. Stevie Wonder's real name is Stevland Morris. 3/5

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May 07 2021
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5

Arguably Stevie Wonder's best album, although I prefer "Innervisions" and "Songs in the Key of Life." Inarguably among one of the 1001 greatest albums of all time. "Maybe Your Baby" is an electro jam that feels contemporary in 2021. "Superstition" is an unskippable track for all people and all times.

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Feb 22 2021
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5

I went down the rabbit hole with Stevie Wonder after listening to this.... he has so many more catchy hits than I realized, many that have been covered so many times..... my favorite will always be 'Don't you worry 'bout a thing' but my newest discovery rivals my favorite - - 'Pastime paradise'; I'd never listened to the original, only the cover - Gangster's paradise

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May 21 2021
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4

For every bit of magic on this album, there's something a little powderpuff about much of the rest of the material. I know we are all supposed to consider Stevie Wonder a genius, but Innervisions aside I'm not sure he's ever hit that kind of consistency. The funk-soul equivalent to Iron Maiden, then; stellar moments and a hogshead of filler

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Jul 29 2021
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2

One of my all time favourite songs on this album - Superstition. So was looking forward to this, but i am sorry this song couldnot carry the rest of the album. It mostly sounded like lounge music to me. 2 Stars

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Sep 09 2021
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1

This is the album that has "Superstition" on it, the rest of the album is pretty forgettable electronic keyboard and sleepy soulless blabbering. Songs just boring and don't go anywhere, like an essay written to pad length.

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Dec 02 2023
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5

this is one of my favourite albums of all time! a smile came to my face when i saw this was our next album to listen to ! every song unfolds so well together one after another! literally every single song is perfect !!! 5/5

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Aug 29 2023
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5

nuh uh. how can this guy be blind. theres no way. now i have no excuse to be shit at anything. im not even blind, only slightly fat. fav songs: youre the sunshine of my life, maybe your baby, youve got it bad girl, blame it on the sun, i believe.

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Oct 23 2021
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4

Typical Stevie Wonder album, Some of the best music ever and some of the most self indulgent crap on the same disk. Loved some of it but hated that I didn't love it all.

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Jan 30 2021
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4

I love me some Stevie, and seeing him on this list will likely surprise no one. I think I actually own this record, but hadn't listened to it before today. I own and have listened to Songs in the Key of Life, and Hotter Than July, the latter of which I bought in a head shop in Macomb along with a book on how propaganda was making men's fashion more feminine (I threw away the book, still have the record). Anyway, based on my limited experience with his discography, Stevie's music is super consistent, and a joy. When I go back to hosting game nights again, I will be sure to dust off my copy of Talking Book. My personal enjoyment: 4/5 Did it belong on this list: 5/5

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Oct 09 2021
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4

Undoubtedly a genius, sometimes his tracks are just too cheesy. However, when he wants to get funky then his squelching synths and cry baby bass is amazing. Best Tracks: Maybe Your Baby; Tuesday Heartbreak; Superstition

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Oct 14 2021
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3

An album of two halves. The well known tracks are some of Stevie's best. The album tracks are a bit bland and dull, frankly. However, any record with a song as strong as I Believe can't be all bad, right? For me, Innervisions is a better record for the cohesion and clarity of purpose.

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Sep 17 2020
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5

Absolutely outstanding and unique view of Stevie’s music. Not being super familiar with his work outside of any of the hits, this really helped me appreciate a bit more of the work that I guess was not considered as “commercial” at the time.

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Apr 17 2025
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4

Excellent Stevie album. Hard to dislike. I'm not so much into the slower ballady numbers, but its not like they're bad. Fave Tracks: Maybe Your Baby, Tuesday Heartbreak, Superstition, I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever) 4/5

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Nov 17 2021
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2

Not a fan of soul/R&B and the cheesy schmaltz of the opening track ‘you are the sunshine of my life’ was a terrible start. Sorry Stevie, not for me

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Aug 14 2024
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5

Talking Book 5 star banger. Never noticed the sobbing sounds around 1.47 of You are the Sunshine of my Life when he sings ‘lonely’. Great opening track, love the laid back melody, rightfully a classic. Always loved Maybe Your Baby, the tension that the intro and verse build before the relatively subdued chorus is fantastic. I love the Theremin sounding synth on You and I, and the song itself is great, one of his best ballads I think. And I love the whole atmosphere of Tuesday Heartbreak. I don’t know what I’m talking about but it feels like he’s singing slightly behind the beat, giving it an lovely unhurried swing. Love You’ve Got it Bad Girl, not sure why it but it always sounded like California to me. Superstition. Can’t really say anything that’s not been said, but I’d recommend the One Song podcast in this song, the stems from the drums are amazing. Big Brother is another sunny sounding song to me even though it’s quite a bleak lyric, but I love the melody and harpsichord style synth. Blame it on the Sun is probably my least favourite song on the album, but it’s still a very good 70s Stevie ballad. Lookin For Another Pure Love on the other hand is great, one I didn’t appreciate when I first heard the album but now I love. And then I Believe, which is just an utterly joyous and fantastic love song, one of my absolute favourite Stevie songs. Obviously it can’t be anything but a 5, even if a couple of songs don’t quite reach the heights of the others as a whole album it’s one of the greatest ever. 📖📖📖📖📖 Playlist submission: I Believe (When I Fall In Love it Will Be Forever)

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Feb 19 2024
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5

When I bought this on CD it was from the "low price oldies" section - for context, that's equivalent in time to buying the first Kayne album today, christ! Lots of interesting synth sounds and squelchy Moog bass (all played by Stevie) decorate some excellent tunes; these are outrageously experimental given how poppy they sound. I love the funky numbers and the sappy ones equally. It's not quite Innervisions, but that's not really a criticism

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Nov 15 2021
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5

Super funky, enjoyed this one more then I expected.

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Nov 09 2021
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5

Great album. I've been listening to it for years. Not new to me.

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Oct 29 2021
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5

Absolutely brilliant. A masterpiece companion to Innervisions (all recorded pretty much in one go).

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Oct 10 2021
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5

Timeless Stevie Wonder album, no comments needed

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Oct 10 2021
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5

Wonderful album from start to finish.

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Aug 31 2021
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5

The best record of his career, and a monster of an album with chart hits and influential songs spilling out all over the place. I have always loved this record. I still do.

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Aug 31 2021
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5

The two songs opening each side are excellent and very well known hits. For me, Superstition is his best song.  Ray Parker will always be better known for his Ghostbusters song but his  guitar on Maybe Your Baby is top shelf and really works well with the funkiness. Stevie delivers the electric piano and clavinet that makes Tuesday Heartbreak. I've never heard those instruments deliver a cool and funky vibe like this. Stevie's vocals on You and I might be his best on the LP. Jeff Beck's guitar on Looking for Another . . . is also quite good as one would expect from Jeff. I didn't know Stevie for his political songs. Big Brother is quite good and the words "You've killed all our Leaders" are particularly poignant given this album was made less than 5 years after  Martin Luther King and Bobby  Kennedy were murdered.  Different songs on this LP have very different features that make them soar. They are all good songs for very different reasons. An album that pulls this off meets my definition of a 5. As an afterthought, it's a great picture on the cover. 

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Jun 07 2021
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5

Beautiful album. It’s like a love-child of funk and country but raised by classical. It’s soft and gentle but also thoughtful. Stevie Wonder has a perfect voice and he also has poignant lyrics. This album delivers pretty heavy stuff like love and heartbreak and rebirth and belief and faith but it’s done so lite and breezy. Stevie Wonder is a genius. Top tracks You are the sunshine of my life Big brother You and I Tuesday Heartbreak Iconic track Superstition

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Jun 07 2021
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5

The album starts with calming chords and a soft groove. Then the groove heats up and stays strong. Each song has unique instruments and melodies that keep this a very interesting album all the way through.

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May 25 2021
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5

The one..the.only...Stevie Wonder

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Jun 25 2021
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5

5/5 - Always loved this album; Hell yeah, Stevie

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Mar 10 2021
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5

Amazing songwriting and arranging of the music.

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Apr 08 2021
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5

Not the only 5 star album, but this is top class.

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May 20 2021
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5

Awesome! Can't believe I didn't discover him earlier

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Jan 26 2021
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5

This album is amazing! I can't believe how great Stevie Wonder's music is. What a genius. I can see all the influences he's had on musicians.

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Feb 09 2021
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5

I've been busy so I had to go back to this one. Really loved it stevie wonder is great

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Feb 07 2021
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5

I'm familiar with some of his more famous songs because Stevie Wonder is, well, iconic to say the least but never actually listened to a full album by him. Lemme just say I'm kicking myself for missing out and this Aussie gives Talking Book five lamingtons out of five.

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Mar 02 2021
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5

Amazing album. It's so easy to overlook Stevie Wonder sometimes, but this album is always worth coming back to.

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Jan 21 2021
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5

Fantastic!! Now we are getting somewhere. The keys, the funk, and Stevie's wonderful voice.

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Jan 12 2021
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5

all the famous songs here are impeccable gems

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Jul 31 2024
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4

For me, Stevie Wonder is at his best when he’s funky. The ballads don’t really do a whole lot for me, even though I think they are well produced and usually are pretty gorgeous instrumentally. It’s the funk, though…that sweet, elastic funkiness with the synthetic bass and clavinet. It’s so good. Stevie Wonder is a musical genius. [wipes nose] (That’s a reference that like 4 people will get.)

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Mar 12 2024
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4

Стиви Уандер - это наш кротяра

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Feb 19 2024
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4

Much of this is unsurpassable. Superstition sits next to Sweet Jane in having a riff that I can conceive continuing forever. There’s schmaltz on here, by my own measure, where the music is not great enough to sublimate lyrical sentimentality. Lookin’ For Another Pure Love is schmaltz; I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever) is majestic.

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Sep 15 2024
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3

"Superstition" is great, unfortunately canceled out by "Maybe Your Baby." High highs and low lows aside, I didn't love it.

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Jul 18 2024
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3

he kinda sound like steve lacy, he kinda look like him in the cover too, steve lacy stole stevie's whole flow. good album. 3.5

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Nov 20 2021
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3

Superstition is an all time great song. Shame the rest of the album sounds nothing like it. Not bad, just gives you a glimpse of some of his best work for one song and the rest is mid.

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Apr 06 2024
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2

Loveeee Superstition so went in expecting to love this hyped up album but a little disappointed by the rest of it! vocals are great and relaxed but a lot of it just feels very shmaltzy sentimental and kitchy… this is more about personal preference I’m sure but the overly soppy love stuff just got samey and boring to me, overall not a bad album by any means great voice and some songs but as a whole expected this to wow me far more

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Jan 29 2024
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2

How did I already get another Stevie Wonder album from such an exhaustive list? This one was too slow and cheesy for me, should've been called Blabbering Book. Superstition is good but not enough to carry the rest of the setlist. Maybe alright for chillin' in a lounge but not my cup of tea (too much honey).

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Jan 29 2024
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1

I'm not sure what they hype about this album is. Stevie slowed it down way too much through the vast majority of this. Superstition is miles ahead of anything else on the album. The rest of this is completely skippable.

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Jun 03 2025
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5

For my taste, Stevie Wonder albums tend to have a couple amazing songs, then a bunch of stuff I just don’t care about that make me question my love for him. This album, however, is solid throughout. Easily my favorite of the Stevie albums I’ve heard thus far. Plus, Superstitious is on it, which is one of my favorites.

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Jun 02 2025
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5

Pretty enchanting throughout. Smooth, funky, and full of heart. A landmark record that still feels alive today.

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Jun 01 2025
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5

this is maybe my favorite stevie album? is that crazy? extremely great from front to back. the singles ('you are the sunshine of my life' and 'superstition') of course are timeless, but the album cuts are really terrific too, from the subdued and sweet 'you and i' to the funkier cuts 'maybe your baby' and 'tuesday heartbreak' to the album closer 'i believe (when i fall in love it will be forever' which combines the two into a great ending. as with most everything stevie, the musicianship is great and the production sounds nice. and as always, with stevie, i feel it important to point out HE WAS 22 WHEN HE MADE THIS. crazy. incredible. think about what you were doing when you were 22. not this, i'll tell you.

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Jun 01 2025
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5

Another record full of bangers from Stevie. Who knew? 9/10

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May 30 2025
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5

I recognized the first song from this album as a song we studied in my musical theatre performance class in college. Also recognized Supserstition. This isn't my go to genre, but the music is incredible, the voice is amazing, and the vibes are soaring

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May 20 2025
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5

Music of My Mind, the first album Stevie Wonder made under his own control, was excellent but Talking Book is the real beginning of a stunning run of 5-star records he made in the 1970s. Leading off with "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life", a perfect 'classic' love song which never becomes maudlin and straight into the heavy funk of "Maybe Your Baby", Stevie plays everything, as he does on most tracks, other than the occasional guitar - the rhythm section of drums, Moog bass and clavinet is incredible. "You and I" is a gorgeous ballad with a melody worthy of the Great American Songbook. "Superstition" is an all-time classic, one of the best songs Wonder, or any of his contemporaries, ever recorded; a song that proved too good to hand to Jeff Beck, for whom Stevie wrote it and who plays, very sympathetically, on "Lookin' For Another Love". The album closes with the wonderful (!) "I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever)", uplifting and full of hope. Talking Book is a fantastic album, largely built around funky love songs but in "Big Brother" we have a pointer to the political and social commentary which was to come more to the fore on the albums which followed culminating in, for me, Stevie Wonder's zenith, "Songs In the Key of Life."

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May 20 2025
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5

Oh hell yeah this album rules. What a bunch of bangers. The groove funk on Maybe Your Baby is impeccable. But nothing tops the groove of Superstition. Revelations for me are Maybe Your Baby, Big Brother (the transition from Superstition to Big Brother whips), and Blame It on the Sun. I Believe is such a good album closer, man.

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May 19 2025
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5

5 starrrrr. Thank you for listening to our pleas and not assigning a crock of shit for our 100th album 🙏🏼

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May 19 2025
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5

Stevie for album 100? Oh something worked well in the algo. Do I need to really say what the score is?

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May 19 2025
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5

You Are The Sunshine of My Life is a very upbeat, beautiful start. Maybe Your Baby transitions nicely with that funky bass. You And I shows off Stevie’s vocal chops in a brilliant manner. You’ve Got It Bad Girl shows off the synths well, nicely meshing with the vocals and instrumentals. Superstition is a perfect, groovy song. Big Brother has a surprisingly political message, but a poignant one. The closing track has those very satisfying characteristic Moog sounds.

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May 19 2025
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5

Building on Music of My Mind, the start of Stevie’s perfect run.

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May 19 2025
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5

Hommood's favourite artist. We were both pleased this weekend.

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May 16 2025
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5

Amazing listen from everyone's favourite fake blind black guy. It's Stevie Wonder at his best. What else need I say?

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May 16 2025
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5

The negative reviews on this one have me bewildered, not only are the non-superstition tracks on here not that extreme of a departure from the hit song of this album, They're not even worse than said song. Just incredibly smooth listening throughout without a dip in quality anywhere to be seen.

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May 16 2025
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5

Stevie Wonder’s music exudes joy at every second, dude clearly just loved making music and it shines through in his tracks. One of the best to ever do it.

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May 16 2025
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5

Trail mix as an album, even the weaker (barely) stuff here is still great. Side B is better is better than Side A if you really had to pick, but this album really encapsulates the term 'easy listening'. As much as I love an album that rewards re-listens and gets better as you read the lyrics and the story behind it, this is the exact opposite. I think it would be practically impossible to find a single person who would sit through this album and go 'yeah this sucked' unless they were the world's biggest contrarian. Sometimes music is just supposed to make you feel good, and this album does just exactly that. Put this on, sit on the couch, put on a lamp (NO BIG LIGHT), have a cup of tea and let Stevie Wonder fix whatever bad day you're having. I can name one or two songs on here that drag a little bit and that is the biggest fault that I can find here. Well-arranged, competently produced, performed with feeling and with that soulful je ne sais quois: this album really hits all the musical food groups. The opener is a classic, You and I is a serious contender for a wedding song and Superstition is a rare track that you hear on the radio/in the supermarket/in an ad and you don't roll your eyes, it's a beautiful song. The sound of this album is timeless, it doesn't feel dated despite being 53 years old at the time of writing, it is truly a marvel that Stevie Wonder can create music like this that has really stood the test of time and has had an unmeasurable impact on every artist that has come after him. Highlights: You Are the Sunshine of My Life, You and I (We Can Conquer the World), Superstition, I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)

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May 14 2025
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5

Part of a chain of like 5 albums Stevie put out that were perfect. It's great.

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May 13 2025
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5

Album 773 of 1089 Stevie Wonder - Talking Book (1972) Rating : 5 / 5 Just an awesome album. Not a moment wasted listening to this. I think I may prefer this one over his Songs in the Key of Life.. Great tunes...great performance.

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May 12 2025
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5

Amazing album about love and finding closure in the overthinking and loss of a love interest. Banger after banger, Stevie cooked

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May 06 2025
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5

This is a great album. Love the mixture between Stevie Wonder’s vocals and the funky instrumentals. Definitely got me interested in listening to more of his music with the expectation that it’ll be close to this album in style. 10/10

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May 01 2025
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5

Amazing. Truly a spring or summer of love album. 10/10

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Apr 28 2025
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5

I'm sorry 1001 Albums Generator I'll never abandon you again

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Apr 28 2025
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5

I really enjoyed the chill vibes of this album! Perfect for a Sunday.

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Apr 26 2025
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5

i recall (but am too lazy to check) a potentially apocryphal quote from stevie where he said that innervisions is his best album and talking book is his best collection of songs. regardless of whether its a real quote i do think it hits on somethin! this does not feel as inevitably paced and constructed as innverisions or sitkol, instead the momentum is carried by the fact that every track is a new masterpiece or close to it. this one is particularly ballad-heavy, an ideal match for peak stevie's strengths and producing a bunch of tracks that just make me melt. that it also happens to have superstition, one of the most visceral funk stompers of all time, is almost unreal. stevie makes v comforting music on the whole ofc, but it would be difficult to find a record even from him that creates this much of an unbreakable bubble of contentment

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Apr 26 2025
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5

Well I saved more than half the album so I think it just has to be a 5. Like half of those songs are slow songs and that's not me really. They are just too good. And the funky songs are amazing. Superstition is a perfect song. I didn't even realize it was Stevie wonder until emarissingly late. But it's just a part of the culture. It's in every animated movie from 2001 to now. But damn he can play the keys. And probably everything else. The absolute god. This is good. Listen. That is all

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